JP4033168B2 - rice cooker - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a rice cooker having a water absorption step of absorbing water in rice in a pot.

  Generally, in order to obtain delicious rice, it is known that rice should be cooked after sufficient water is contained in the rice. The water absorption process at the time of cooking rice is a process in which water is sucked into rice at a temperature equal to or lower than the gelatinization temperature (60 to 70 ° C.) of rice, and can also be referred to as a preheating process. Rice has a water content of about 15% in the state of polished rice, but when it is absorbed to a saturated state, the water content is about 30%. In general, the higher the water immersion temperature, the shorter the time to reach the saturated state is 2 hours or more at a water temperature of 5 ° C., about 1 hour at a water temperature of 20 ° C., and about 20 minutes at a water temperature of 60 ° C. When rice that has absorbed water in a saturated state is cooked, moisture and heat are distributed to the center of the rice grain, and rice with a good taste without a core is cooked.

  In the rice cooker controlled by the current microcomputer, this principle is applied and a water absorption process is performed for 20 minutes at a high temperature of 40 to 50 ° C. Rice cooking is performed after water is absorbed for a certain time at a temperature lower than the gelatinization temperature of the rice (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  Moreover, there is what adjusts the water immersion time according to the amount of rice cooking (for example, refer patent document 2).

In some cases, a plurality of flooding times are stored so that the user can select them according to the situation (for example, see Patent Document 3).
Japanese Patent Publication No.59-24815 Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 63-46684 JP-A-3-30731

  However, as a user's usage, there are not a few cases where the water is pre-immersed before the start of cooking rice. When rice soaked to saturation is further soaked at a high temperature, the surface structure of the rice collapses, resulting in sticky rice and poor taste. In other words, an operation in which the user tries to improve the taste may result in the taste being lowered. In such a case, if the user operates the rice cooker and chooses a course that does not have a water absorption process or is shortened, the problem is resolved, but the decision is left to the user, and it is automatically cooked optimally from the equipment side. I couldn't.

  In addition, although the water immersion time until saturation varies depending on the water temperature, it is difficult for the user to judge the water temperature and the optimal water immersion time in daily cooking, and it is difficult for everyone to always cook the most deliciously under the optimal conditions. It was.

  The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and by performing an optimal water absorption process according to the preparation state before the user's cooking of rice, the user always has a good taste automatically without placing a burden on the user. The purpose is to provide a rice cooker from which rice can be obtained.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a rice cooker body, a pot for storing rice and water stored in the rice cooker body, heating means for heating the pot, and a pot for detecting the weight of the pot. Weight detection means ; reference weight storage means for storing a constant reference weight; weight comparison means for comparing the weight of the pan detected by the pan weight detection means with the reference weight stored in the reference weight storage means ; After the weight comparison means determines that the weight of the pan detected by the pot weight detection means is heavier than the reference weight stored in the reference weight storage means, the time measurement is started and the rice cooking start operation is performed. a presoak time measuring means for measuring a time as a preliminary immersion time, cooking start as inputs and pan temperature detection means for detecting the temperature of the pan, the output from the output from the preliminary immersion time measuring means and the pan temperature detecting means Rice of time And a heating control means for controlling the heating means to estimate the water absorption, the heating control means, even when the water absorption state of the rice at the start cooking is determined to satisfy a predetermined condition for a predetermined time, predetermined The water absorption process is performed to absorb the water in the rice in the pan at the temperature .

  Thereby, the optimal water absorption process according to the preparation state before a user's rice cooking is performed, and a rice with always good taste can always be obtained automatically without imposing a burden on a user.

  In addition, about this predetermined optimal water absorption state, it is based on the phenomenon discovered uniquely as a result of earnest research. That is, it is about the correlation regarding the water absorption state of rice and the taste of cooked rice. In the water absorption of rice, the time to reach the saturated water absorption rate is shorter as the water temperature is higher, but if the saturated water absorption state continues for a long time, the surface of the rice collapses or the rice begins to gelatinize, so the taste is poor when cooking rice. End up.

  In addition, sweetened reducing sugar, which is a factor in the deliciousness of rice, is produced more as the immersion water temperature is higher and the time is longer. Because it begins to turn, the taste when cooked rice is inferior. From these events, it can be said that the relationship between the soaking temperature of rice and time correlates with the touch and sweetness of cooked rice, that is, the taste. That is, there is an optimum range of water absorption of rice for cooking good-tasting rice, which can be replaced by the conditions of rice immersion temperature and time.

  The rice cooker of the present invention can cook rice in an optimal water absorption state regardless of the pre-soaking time of rice until rice cooking is started, and can always automatically obtain good-tasting rice.

1st invention is a rice cooker main body, the pan which is accommodated in the inside of the said rice cooker main body, and puts rice and water, the heating means which heats the said pan, the pan weight detection means which detects the weight of the said pan, Reference weight storage means for storing a constant reference weight, weight comparison means for comparing the weight of the pan detected by the pan weight detection means with the reference weight stored in the reference weight storage means, and the weight comparison means The pre-soak time from when it is determined that the weight of the pan detected by the pan weight detection means is heavier than the reference weight stored in the reference weight storage means until the rice cooking start operation is started. a preliminary immersion time measuring means for measuring a time, and pot temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the pan, the output from the output and the pan temperature detecting means from the preliminary immersion time measuring means as an input at the cooking start rice the water absorption rate is estimated And a heating control means for controlling the serial heating means, said heating control means, even when the water absorption state of the rice at the start cooking is determined to satisfy a predetermined condition for a predetermined time, the pot at a predetermined temperature It is configured to carry out a water absorption process to absorb water in the rice inside, the time from the time when the rice and water pot is set to the rice cooker body from the time when the rice and water are put into the rice cooker body only The heating control means calculates the water absorption state of the rice from the preliminary immersion time and automatically sets the time of the water absorption process so as to reach the optimum range of the water absorption state of the rice from the start of rice cooking. Regardless of the pre-soaking time of rice until the start of rice cooking, the rice can be cooked in the optimal water absorption state and always automatically tastes good. Of rice. In addition, the water temperature at the start of cooking becomes a predetermined temperature, it is possible to start cooking from the predetermined water temperature without the influence of the water temperature variation at the time of preliminary soaking, and it is possible to always obtain good-tasting rice automatically it can.

  The second invention is the above-mentioned first invention, wherein the weight stored in the reference weight storage means is set to be equal to or more than the weight of the pot alone, and the pot containing rice and water is cooked only by a normal rice cooking operation. The time from the time when it is set to the cooker to the time when rice cooking is started is measured as the pre-soaking time, and the heating control means calculates the water absorption state of the rice from the pre-soaking time so that the water absorption state of the rice is The water absorption process time is automatically adjusted to reach the appropriate range and adjusted so that the rice is in the optimal water absorption state, so the rice is optimal regardless of the rice pre-soaking time until rice cooking begins. It can be cooked in a water-absorbing state, and can always have good-tasting rice automatically.

According to a third invention, in the first or second invention, the heating control means adjusts the temperature or time of the water absorption step so that the water absorption state of the rice at the end of the water absorption step becomes a predetermined state. And the user prepares for cooking rice, that is, measures the preliminary soaking time from the time when the rice is soaked in water until the time when rice cooking starts, and the heating control means calculates the water absorption state of the rice from the preliminary soaking time, Since the temperature or time of the water absorption process is automatically adjusted to reach the optimal range of the water absorption state of rice from the beginning of rice cooking, and adjusted so that the rice will be in the optimal water absorption state, rice until rice cooking starts Regardless of the pre-soaking time, the rice can be cooked in an optimal water absorption state, and rice with good taste can always be obtained automatically.

According to a fourth invention, in any one of the first to third inventions, the heating control means has a plurality of process patterns based on a combination of time and temperature in the water absorption process, and at least from the preliminary immersion time measuring means. Judgment is made based on the output, and an optimum process pattern in which the water absorption state of the rice at the end of the water absorption process is in a predetermined state is selected. The user prepares rice cooking, that is, immerses the rice in water. Measure the preliminary soaking time from the time of cooking to the start of rice cooking, and the heating control means calculates the water absorption state of the rice from the preliminary soaking time so that it reaches the optimal range of the water absorption state of rice from the start of rice cooking The time and temperature of the water absorption process are automatically adjusted to adjust the rice so that the rice is in an optimal water absorption state, so the rice is cooked in the optimal water absorption state regardless of the rice pre-soaking time until rice cooking is started. To raise And can always get good-tasting rice automatically.

5th invention is equipped with the display means which displays the output state from a preliminary | backup immersion time measurement means in any one invention of the said 1-4 , The user prepares rice cooking, ie, rice. Since the elapsed time from the time of immersion in water is displayed, the user can check the preliminary immersion time.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, this invention is not limited by the form of a present Example.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 shows a system configuration diagram of a rice cooker according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the rice cooker main body 1 detachably houses a pan 2 into which rice and water are placed, and has a heating means 3 for heating the pan 2 so as to face the bottom side surface portion of the pan 2. is doing. The top opening of the rice cooker body 1 is provided with an outer lid 5 that can be opened and closed so that the pan 2 can be attached and detached.

  In addition, a pan weight sensor 6 that circumscribes the center of the bottom surface of the pan 2 and detects the weight of the pan 2 is disposed, and the pan 2 is mounted on the pan weight sensor 6. An electric signal corresponding to the weight of the pan is output to the pan weight detecting means 7, and the pan weight detecting means 7 detects the weight W of the pan 2. In this pan weight sensor 6, a pan sensor 4 constituting a pan temperature detecting means is arranged so as to circumscribe the bottom surface of the pan 2. The reference weight storage means 8 stores the pan weight WK in the single state of the pan 2 as the reference weight W0.

  The weight comparison means 9 compares the pan weight W detected by the pan weight detection means 7 with the reference weight W0 stored in the reference weight storage means 8, and outputs a signal to the preliminary immersion time measurement means 10.

  The preliminary soaking time measuring means 10 determines that the signal from the weight comparing means 9 has determined that the pot weight W detected by the pot weight detecting means 7 is heavier than the reference weight W0 stored in the reference weight storage means 8. In this case, after the preliminary immersion time is reset, the preliminary immersion time starts to be measured.

  The heating control means 11 is configured to control the heating means 3 by this preliminary soaking time, with the presoaking time measuring means 10 starting the measurement of the presoaking time and the time until the rice cooking start operation is performed. .

  Here, the heating control means 11 is configured to adjust at least the time of the water absorption step so that the water absorption state of the rice at the end of the water absorption step of absorbing water in the rice in the pan 2 is made a predetermined state.

  The operation and action of the above configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 2 shows a flowchart of the operation program of the rice cooker in Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 2, first, when power is supplied from the commercial power source to the rice cooker body 1, the pan weight detecting means 7 inputs an electric signal from the pan weight sensor 6 and detects the weight W of the pan 2 in step 21. Output to the weight comparison means 8, and proceed to Step 22.

  In step 22, the weight comparison means 9 compares the weight W of the pan 2 input from the pan weight detection means 7 with the reference weight W 0 stored in the reference weight storage means 8. In the case of W ≦ W0, it is determined that the pan 2 is empty or the pan 2 is not stored in the rice cooker body 1 and the process returns to step 21. On the other hand, if W> W0, it is determined that rice and water have been placed in the pan 2, and the process proceeds to step 23.

  In step 23, the measured value of the preliminary flooding time of the preliminary flooding time measuring means 10 is reset, the preliminary flooding time measurement is started, and the process proceeds to step 24.

  In step 24, it is determined whether or not a rice cooking start switch (not shown) provided in the rice cooker body 1 has been operated. If operated, rice cooking is started, and in step 25, the preliminary water immersion time is measured. In step 26, the water absorption process condition is determined based on the preliminary water immersion time, and the heating control unit 11 is controlled by the heating control unit 11 to start the water absorption process.

  If the rice cooking start switch is not operated in step 24, the process returns to step 24 and waits for the rice cooking start switch to be operated.

  Next, the conditions of the water absorption process will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 3 shows the water absorption rate at the water temperature and time of the soaking of polished rice. Saturated water absorption of raw rice is around 30%, but reaches a saturation state at a water temperature of 5 ° C for 2 hours or more, at 20 ° C for about 1 hour, at 30 ° C for about 40 minutes, and at 60 ° C for about 20 minutes. The higher the water temperature, the higher the saturated water absorption rate. This is because, when the water temperature remains high for a long time, the expansion of the tissue on the surface of the rice grains due to water absorption is promoted.

  When the temperature reaches 60 ° C., which is higher than that, gelatinization of the rice grain surface begins. Gelatinization is a stable structure of raw rice starch, when water and heat of about 60 ° C or higher are applied, the starch crystal structure breaks down, and water molecules intrude during that time, making the alpha of the coarse mesh structure. It changes to starch. That is, when gelatinization starts, the water absorption rate is further increased. Here, when rice that has been absorbed in saturation at each water immersion temperature is cooked, the surface of the grains collapses as the saturated water absorption increases and the time after reaching saturation reaches longer. After cooking, the taste was inferior.

  However, when the saturated water absorption was 30% or less, the grain collapse was relatively small even when immersed for a long time, and the deterioration of the taste was small. From the above, it is considered that when the water absorption rate exceeds 30%, phenomena other than starch water absorption such as tissue disintegration and gelatinization have occurred. From these results, it is necessary for the water absorption rate to reach saturation and to be 30% or less in order to cook rice with good taste and low stickiness through the inside of the grain. is there.

  FIG. 4 shows the amount of reducing sugar at the water temperature and time of the soaking of polished rice. Rice starch is hydrolyzed into a reducing sugar such as glucose, which becomes a sweet component of rice. In other words, it can be said that rice with more reducing sugar is sweeter and better in taste. Degradation of starch into reducing sugar occurs through the action of enzymes such as amylase contained in the rice itself, so that when the water is absorbed at 40 ° C. to 60 ° C., which is the optimum activity temperature of these enzymes, The sweetness of can be pulled out.

  From the above two results, the conditions of the soaking process for cooking good-tasting rice with firm grains and sweetness are that the water absorption rate of rice has reached a saturated state immediately before cooking, and the water absorption rate is 30% or less And it can be said that the water temperature is 40 to 60 ° C. Therefore, the pre-immersion time measured by the pre-immersion time measuring means 10 causes the shortage to be absorbed in the water absorption step.

  Below, the rice cooking process of the rice cooker in this Embodiment is demonstrated using FIG.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a rice cooking process of the rice cooker in the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 5, when the pre-soaking time is 30 minutes and the pan bottom temperature at the start of the water absorption process is 20 ° C., the heating control means 7 determines that the soaking process is required for 30 minutes, and the pre-soaking is performed. When the time is 30 minutes and the pan bottom temperature is 5 ° C., it is determined that the immersion process is necessary for 90 minutes, and after the heating means 3 executes this, the process proceeds to the cooking process. In the subsequent cooking process, the rice is cooked with high thermal power, and when the pan sensor 4 detects the cooked temperature, the cooking process shifts to the soaking process in which the inside of the pan 2 is evenly blended. To do. Through the series of operations described above, rice with good physical properties can always be obtained.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the pan weight detection means 7 inputs an electric signal from the pan weight sensor 6 to detect the weight W of the pan 2, and determines that the weight is heavier than the reference weight W0. From the time when the pot 2 containing rice and water is set in the rice cooker body 1 only by a normal rice cooking operation, by measuring the time until the rice cooking start switch is operated as an immersion time. The time until the start of rice cooking is measured as the pre-soaking time, and the heating control means 11 calculates the water absorption state of the rice from the pre-soaking time and reaches the optimal range of the water absorption state of the rice from the start of rice cooking. The time of the water absorption process is adjusted automatically and adjusted so that the rice is in the optimal water absorption state, so that the rice is cooked in the optimal water absorption state regardless of the rice pre-soaking time until rice cooking is started. Can be automatically and always good taste It is possible to obtain the rice.

  In this embodiment, the reference weight W0 stored in the reference weight storage means 8 is set as the weight WK of the pan 2 alone, but the detection accuracy of the pan weight sensor 6 and the accuracy of the pan weight detection means 7 are taken into consideration. By storing a value obtained by adding a constant weight A to the weight WK of the pan 2 alone as the reference weight W0, malfunction of the device can be prevented.

  In addition, when the constant weight A is set to a weight that is heavier than the minimum amount of rice that can be cooked by the rice cooker body 1 and lighter than the amount of rice and water added at that time, Since the water is in a flooded state, an accurate preliminary soaking time can be measured.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 6 shows a system configuration diagram of the rice cooker in the second embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the heating control means 51 uses the preliminary soaking time measuring means 10 to start measuring the presoaking time and the time until the rice cooking start operation is performed as the presoaking time. It is comprised so that the heating means 3 may be controlled by the temperature information from the pan sensor 4 which is.

  Here, the heating control means 51 is configured to adjust at least the time of the water absorption step so that the water absorption state of the rice at the end of the water absorption step in which the rice in the pot 2 absorbs water becomes a predetermined state. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment, and the same reference numerals are given and description thereof is omitted.

  The operation and action of the above configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 7 is a flowchart of the operation program of the rice cooker in the present embodiment. The operation from step 21 to step 25 is the same as the operation of the first embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted.

  After the rice cooking start switch is operated and the measurement of the pre-immersion time is completed in step 25, the pan detection temperature from the pan sensor 4 is input in step 52 to obtain the pre-soaking temperature of rice. In step 53, the water absorption process conditions are determined based on the preliminary immersion time and the rice preliminary immersion temperature, and the heating means 3 is controlled by the heating control means 51 to start the water absorption process. Since the water absorption process and subsequent steps are the same as those in the first embodiment, description thereof is omitted.

  Below, the rice cooking process of the rice cooker in this Embodiment is demonstrated using FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 5, when the pre-soaking time is 30 minutes and the pan bottom temperature at the start of the water absorption process is 20 ° C., the heating control means 7 determines that the soaking process is required for 30 minutes, and the pre-soaking is performed. When the time is 30 minutes and the pan bottom temperature is 5 ° C., it is determined that the immersion process is necessary for 90 minutes, and after the heating means 3 executes this, the process proceeds to the cooking process. In the subsequent cooking process, the rice is cooked with high thermal power, and when the pan sensor 4 detects the cooked temperature, the cooking process shifts to a soaking process that uniformly blends the inside of the pan, and the cooking process ends when a predetermined time elapses. . Through the series of operations described above, rice with good physical properties can always be obtained.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the pan weight detection means 7 inputs an electric signal from the pan weight sensor 6 to detect the weight W of the pan 2, and determines that the weight is heavier than the reference weight W0. By allowing the time until the post-cooking start switch to be operated to be measured as the immersion time, rice cooking is started from the time when the pan 2 containing rice and water is set in the rice cooker body 1 only by normal rice cooking operation. The heating control means 51 calculates the water absorption state of the rice from the preliminary immersion time and the preliminary immersion temperature from the pan temperature measurement means 4, and the water absorption of the rice from the start of rice cooking. The time of the water absorption process is automatically adjusted to reach the optimum range of the state, and the rice is adjusted so as to be in the optimal water absorption state, so regardless of the rice pre-soak time and water temperature until rice cooking starts The rice is in the best water absorption state It is possible to bring come, it is possible to obtain the rice always good taste automatically.

  In addition, in this Embodiment, although the temperature detection of the pan 2 was performed at the timing when the rice cooking start switch was operated, the measurement of a pan temperature is started at the time of preliminary immersion time measurement start, and the rice cooking start switch is operated. The average temperature up to may be set as the water immersion temperature.

(Embodiment 3)
The heating control means 51 shown in FIG. 6 is configured to adjust the temperature and time of the water absorption process so that the water absorption state of the rice at the end of the water absorption process becomes a predetermined state. Other configurations are the same as those of the second embodiment.

  The operation and action of the above configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a rice cooking process of the rice cooker in the present embodiment. Note that the operations from step 21 to step 25 in FIG. 7 are the same as those in the second embodiment, and thus the description thereof is omitted.

  After completing the preliminary water immersion time measurement in step 25, the pot detection temperature from the pot sensor 4 is input in step 52 to obtain the rice preliminary immersion temperature. In step 53, the water absorption process conditions are determined based on the preliminary immersion time and the rice preliminary immersion temperature, and the heating means 3 is controlled by the heating control means 51 to start the water absorption process.

  Here, the heating control means 51 is preliminarily provided with estimation formulas relating to time, water temperature, and water absorption rate from the above-described experimental data, and the water absorption rate of rice at the start of rice cooking is estimated from the preliminary immersion time and preliminary immersion temperature. . In the water absorption process that starts simultaneously with the start of rice cooking, the heating control means 51 judges from the estimated water absorption rate, preliminary soaking time and pan bottom temperature, the water absorption rate of the rice reaches a saturated state, and the water absorption rate is 30% or less. The heating means 3 is controlled so that the temperature becomes 40 to 60 ° C., and when this state is reached, the water absorption process is terminated.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 8, when the preliminary soaking time is 30 minutes and the pan bottom temperature is 20 ° C., the heating control means 51 determines that the soaking step is required for 10 min at the pan bottom temperature of 50 ° C., When the preliminary soaking time is 30 minutes and the pan bottom temperature is 5 ° C, it is judged that the soaking step is necessary for 20 minutes at the pan bottom temperature of 50 ° C, and after the heating means 3 executes this, the process proceeds to the cooking step To do. In the subsequent cooking process, the rice is cooked with high thermal power, and when the pan sensor 4 detects the cooked temperature, the cooking process shifts to a soaking process that uniformly blends the inside of the pan, and the cooking process ends when a predetermined time elapses. .

  This series of operations prevents the user from becoming a cored rice due to insufficient water absorption of the rice, and prevents the rice from becoming too sticky due to excessive water immersion, and is included in the rice. Enzyme can be activated and rice with excellent sweetness can be obtained.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the temperature and time of the water absorption process are adjusted so as to make the water absorption state of the rice at the end of the water absorption process a predetermined state. The preliminary soaking time from the time when the rice is immersed in water to the time when rice cooking is started is measured, and the heating control means 51 calculates the water absorption state of the rice from the preliminary soaking time, so that the water absorption state of the rice is reached from the start of rice cooking. Since the temperature and time of the water absorption process are automatically adjusted to reach the appropriate range and adjusted so that the rice is in the optimal water absorption state, regardless of the rice pre-soaking time until rice cooking begins, It can be cooked in an optimal water absorption state, and can always have good-tasting rice automatically.

  In this embodiment, the temperature and time of the water absorption process are adjusted so as to make the water absorption state of the rice at the end of the water absorption process a predetermined state, but the temperature of the water absorption process may be adjusted. Well, similar actions and effects can be obtained.

(Embodiment 4)
The heating control means 51 shown in FIG. 6 is configured to perform the water absorption process at a predetermined temperature even when the water absorption state of the rice satisfies a predetermined state at the start of rice cooking. Other configurations are the same as those in the second or third embodiment.

  The operation and action of the above configuration will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a rice cooking process of the rice cooker in the present embodiment. In addition, the operation | movement until a user sets the pan 2 in the rice cooker main body 1 and operates a rice cooking start switch is the same as the said Embodiment 2 or 3, and description is abbreviate | omitted.

  Similar to the rice cooking operation in the second or third embodiment, the heating control means 51 estimates the water absorption rate of rice at the start of rice cooking from the preliminary soaking time and the preliminary soaking temperature. Even when it is determined that the predetermined condition has been reached, the heating control means 51 controls the heating means 3 so that the water temperature becomes 40 to 60 ° C. for a certain time.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 9, when the preliminary soaking time was 60 minutes and the pan bottom temperature was 20 ° C., and when the pre soaking time was 120 minutes and the pan bottom temperature was 5 ° C., both Although it is determined that the water absorption state has reached saturation, in either case, the heating control means 51 controls the heating means 3 so as to execute the water absorption process at a pot bottom temperature of 50 ° C. for 5 minutes. Then, it shifts to a cooking process and a spotting process, and cooks rice. By this operation, it is possible to eliminate the influence of the variation in the water temperature during the pre-soaking and always obtain a rice having a stable taste regardless of the pre-soaking state.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, even when the water absorption state of rice satisfies a predetermined state at the start of rice cooking, the water absorption process is performed at a predetermined temperature. The water temperature becomes a predetermined temperature, and it is possible to start cooking from the predetermined water temperature without being affected by variations in the water temperature during the pre-immersion, and to always obtain good-tasting rice.

(Embodiment 5)
The heating control means 51 shown in FIG. 6 has a plurality of process patterns based on a combination of time and temperature in the water absorption process, and is determined based on at least the output from the preliminary soaking time measurement means 10 and absorbs rice at the end of the water absorption process. One optimum process pattern in which the state becomes a predetermined state is selected. Other configurations are the same as those in the third or fourth embodiment.

  The operation and action of the above configuration will be described. In addition, the operation | movement until a user sets the pan 2 in the rice cooker main body 1 and operates a rice cooking start switch is the same as the said Embodiment 3 or 4, and description is abbreviate | omitted.

  Similar to the rice cooking operation in the third or fourth embodiment, the heating control means 51 estimates the water absorption rate of rice at the start of rice cooking from the preliminary soaking time and the preliminary soaking temperature. Have multiple process patterns with a combination of water absorption time and temperature to obtain a good-tasting rice with a balanced sweetness, and select the water absorption process pattern that best suits the water absorption conditions at the start of cooking. By executing the above, it is possible to automatically obtain a rice having a good taste that always has a balance between tactile sensation and sweetness.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the heating control means 51 has a plurality of process patterns based on a combination of time and temperature in the water absorption process, and judges from at least the output from the preliminary immersion time measuring means 10, Since the most suitable process pattern that the water absorption state of rice at the end of the water absorption process is in a predetermined state is selected, the preparation of rice cooking, that is, from the time when the rice is immersed in water until the time when rice cooking starts The heating control means 51 calculates the water absorption state of the rice from the preliminary immersion time, and adjusts the time and temperature of the water absorption process so that the optimal range of the water absorption state of rice is reached from the start of rice cooking. Because it adjusts automatically so that the rice is in the optimal water absorption state, the rice can be cooked in the optimal water absorption state regardless of the rice pre-soaking time until rice cooking is started. Always It is possible to obtain rice of good taste.

(Embodiment 6)
FIG. 10 shows a system configuration diagram of the rice cooker in the sixth embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the rice cooker main body 1 detachably houses a pan 2 into which rice and water are placed, and is provided with heating means 3 for heating the pan 2 so as to face the bottom side surface portion of the pan 2. is doing. The top opening of the rice cooker body 1 is provided with an outer lid 5 that can be opened and closed so that the pan 2 can be attached and detached. The top opening of the rice cooker body 1 is provided with an outer lid 5 that can be opened and closed so that the pan 2 can be attached and detached.

  The outer lid 5 is equipped with a liquid crystal display 62 which is display means for notifying the user of the state of the rice cooker. The heating control means 61 controls the heating means 3 by this preliminary soaking time with the time until the preliminary soaking time measurement means 10 starts measuring the presoaking time and the rice cooking start operation is performed as a presoaking time, and the presoaking time. The elapsed time since the measurement means 10 starts measuring the preliminary immersion time is displayed on the liquid crystal display 62 which is a display means. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment, and the same reference numerals are given and description thereof is omitted.

  The operation and action of the above configuration will be described. Since the basic operation is the same as that of the first embodiment, description thereof is omitted.

  In the present embodiment, the pan weight detection means 7 inputs an electric signal from the pan weight sensor 6 to detect the weight W of the pan 2, and after determining that the weight is heavier than the reference weight W0, the rice cooking start switch is By allowing the time until operation to be measured as immersion time, the time from the time when the pan 2 containing rice and water is set in the rice cooker body 1 to the time when rice cooking is started can be performed only by the usual rice cooking operation. The heating control means 61 calculates the water absorption state of the rice from the preliminary immersion time, and automatically sets the time of the water absorption process so as to reach the optimum range of the water absorption state of the rice from the start of rice cooking. Regardless of the pre-soaking time of rice until the start of rice cooking, the rice can be cooked in the optimal water absorption state, and it is always good automatically. To get some delicious rice Kill.

  Furthermore, the user can prevent the rice from becoming too sticky due to excessive water immersion without performing excessive preliminary immersion by checking the preliminary immersion elapsed time displayed on the liquid crystal display 62. .

  Further, when the pre-soak time exceeds a certain time, a display that prompts the user to pay attention is displayed on the liquid crystal display 62, so that excessive flooding can be prevented. Even if this warning display is notified by a notification means (not shown) such as a buzzer for notifying the state of the rice cooker, the same effect can be obtained.

  In addition, it cannot be overemphasized that the said Embodiments 1-6 can be implemented also in the rice cooker of the other system controlled by a microcomputer.

  In addition, the water absorption rate and the amount of reducing sugar in the water temperature and time of the polished rice immersion in Embodiments 1 to 6 above and the predetermined water absorption conditions that can be derived from the results are examples of using Koshihikari for polished rice varieties, It can be adjusted as appropriate depending on the type and condition.

  As described above, the rice cooker according to the present invention can cook rice in an optimal water absorption state regardless of the rice pre-soaking time until rice cooking is started, and always automatically obtain good-tasting rice. Therefore, it is useful as a rice cooker having a water-absorbing process in which water in the rice in the pot is absorbed.

The system block diagram of the rice cooker in Embodiment 1 of this invention Flow chart of operation program of the rice cooker The figure which shows the water absorption in water temperature and time of immersion of polished rice The figure which shows the amount of reducing sugar in water temperature and time of immersion of polished rice The figure which shows the rice cooking process of the rice cooker System configuration diagram of rice cooker in Embodiment 2 of the present invention Flow chart of operation program of the rice cooker The figure which shows the rice cooking process of the rice cooker in Embodiment 3 of this invention. The figure which shows the rice cooking process of the rice cooker in Embodiment 4 of this invention. System configuration diagram of rice cooker in Embodiment 6 of the present invention

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Rice cooker body 2 Pan 3 Heating means 4 Pan sensor (pan temperature detection means)
7 Pan weight detection means 8 Reference weight storage means 9 Weight comparison means 10 Pre-immersion time measurement means 11 Heating control means

Claims (5)

Stores a rice cooker body, a pot for storing rice and water stored in the rice cooker body, a heating means for heating the pot, a pot weight detection means for detecting the weight of the pot, and a constant reference weight. Reference weight storage means, weight comparison means for comparing the weight of the pan detected by the pan weight detection means with the reference weight stored in the reference weight storage means, and the weight comparison means by the pan weight detection means Preliminary soaking that measures the time from when it is determined that the weight of the detected pan is heavier than the reference weight stored in the reference weight storage means until the start of rice cooking is started. The time measurement means, the pan temperature detection means for detecting the temperature of the pan , the output from the preliminary soaking time measurement means and the output from the pan temperature detection means as inputs, the water absorption rate of rice at the start of cooking rice is estimated and the Heating means And a Gosuru heating control means, said heating control means, even when the water absorption state of the rice at the start cooking is determined to satisfy a predetermined condition for a predetermined time, the rice of the inner pot at a predetermined temperature A rice cooker configured to carry out a water absorption process for absorbing water. The rice cooker according to claim 1, wherein the weight stored in the reference weight storage means is equal to or greater than the weight of the pan alone. The rice cooker according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the heating control means adjusts the temperature or time of the water absorption step so that the water absorption state of the rice at the end of the water absorption step becomes a predetermined state. The heating control means has a plurality of process patterns based on a combination of time and temperature in the water absorption process, and is determined from at least the output from the preliminary soaking time measurement means, and the water absorption state of the rice at the end of the water absorption process is a predetermined state. The rice cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein an optimal one process pattern is selected. The rice cooker of any one of Claims 1-4 provided with the display means which displays the output state from a preliminary | backup immersion time measurement means.

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